This book is “the book” that we wish we had found to encourage us to go hiking with our children and to spend more time outdoors.

We see the family as an expedition team, regardless of the amount of time spent outdoors, where the wellbeing of all members of the team is valued for an enjoyable day outdoors. The parents take the role of the child’s very own expedition guide and their task is to bring safety, meaningfulness as well as to teach about sustainability and the world.

This handbook goes behind the mere description of equipment. We describe how you can safely explore the outdoors with correct planning, preparation. Every aspect of the day out with an infant, a toddler and a little hiker (0 to 4 years old) is covered, including resting, feeding and pooping. It also describes how to bring meaningfulness to the outdoor experience, through a collaborative and positive attitude, proposing tools for both the parents and the children to keep motivated, have fun, and to connect with each other.

The book also covers spending the night out with children during backpacking trips and changes to consider when a little brother or sister joins the team, or when hiking in groups with more children. Short informational boxes with tips and with the author’s personal experiences are present in each chapter. These highlight particularly curious and useful aspects of hiking with children.

Barbara Zennaro is an environmental scientist with a specialization on climate change. Originally from Rome, Italy, she started frequenting the mountain regularly only at 18 years old, first paragliding, then adventuring in many backpacking trips around the world. She met a new self after the arrival of her son: today, she is her son’s very own expedition guide, and her mission is to share her passion for the environment with her son, bringing meaningfulness and teaching sustainability during the adventure outdoors, always in complete safety.

Stephanie Klaus she was born and raised in Lausanne, Switzerland. After finishing her studies in environmental management, she pursued her admiration for nature among the mountains of Austria and made it her new home. The love for hiking in the mountains has been anchored in her family over several generations, and she had her first hiking experience at the age of five: it was the most natural thing to include her two sons in her outdoor adventures. She is a strong advocate for educational travel and experiences.

Stéphanie and Barbara have worked for 3 years on the project Backpackingmoms, a digital community dedicated to encouraging mothers to get outside with young children, in a sustainable and meaningful way.